Andrei I

Andrei I (surnamed "Bogolubsky" for founding the town of Bogolyubov) was the son of Grand Prince Yuri I of Russia. Like his father, he did not believe that southeastern Russia, including the dominant city of Kiev, should be the driving force in ruling the area, and so the Kievans did not want him as their ruler on his father's death in 1157. At first, Andrei's attempts to overthrow the rule from Kiev were unsuccessful. However, Andrei was able in 1169 to drive his cousin Mstislav II out of Kiev and set up his own brother Gleb as a figurehead ruler. Gleb died in 1171 and their brother Mikhail was briefly the figurehead, then Rostislav's son Roman and Mstislav I's son Vladimir had a joint rule. Throughout all this, though, Andrei was the one in actual power. (During his reign, other relatives also claimed to be Prince of Kiev but did not really have the practical power of Andrei's administration.) In 1174 or 1175, Andrei was murdered by his nobles. His brother Vsevolod III succeeded him.